Snow, snow, snow

Today is December 14.  7 more days until the official start of winter.  I have typically been a fan of snow, however as I get older, I really dislike it.  I especially dislike it this year because as I'm now a homeowner again, I'm responsible for the snow removal!


Let's see, so far this year..  first snowfall 8" wet and heavy.  Second snowfall 4". Third snowfall 9".  Fourth snowfall...21.5".  That's 42.5" of snowfall and we're only halfway through December!


Am I being punished for something?


I was out of town in warmer weather during this last storm.  Thanks to some very wonderful friends Josh and Laura they watched the cats, and took care of the snow for me too!  I owe them big!  Here's some before pics.  Poor kids, had a lot of work to do!  I came home from work tonight and shoveled some of the snowbanks... yes, the snowbanks, to make some room for the next snowfall.  And I had to shovel through 4 feet of snow alongside the house so I could get from the front to the back.

That's a 3 foot retaining wall that Josh is standing next to.  I love that lonely little branch sticking up from the snow...crying for help in that first picture.

Here's how it looked last night when I returned from my weekend vacation.

In this last picture...that's a 4 foot fence under that snow pile from the driveway.  I have no idea what I'm going to be able to do with any more snow that we get this year.  I'm not going to be able to lift it that high!  The same can be said for that first picture of the front sidewalk.

Oh well, at least it's pretty.  No, wait... I just heard on the news that we've got another 3-5 inches coming Wednesday night!  ARGH, stop the insanity!!!

We've been under a Snow Emergency since Saturday.  Minneapolis and Saint Paul schools have been closed for 2 days because the buses can't make it through the streets to pick the kids up.  Saint Paul has a terrible plowing system.  I'm on a day route.  For example, that snowfall with 9 inches that came Friday night...the first plow didn't reach my street until Sunday morning at 9:30 am.  Because that snow emergency was issued on Saturday, they started with the main roads, then did the night route, then the day route, meaning no plows for me!

Anyway, I better stop or I will keep rambling on and on.  I hope you're enjoying the winter weather more than I am!

Tis the Season!

Well, everyone seems to be posting pictures of their Christmas tree.. so here's mine!

It's not the best pic, but it works for now I guess.  I wanted to put it in front of the window, but I just didn't want to rearrange the furniture, so it's in the corner of the dining room.  Still pretty.

I really like Santa and Snowmen ornaments.  I have lots, but I'm starting to diversify.  As you can see, there's a reindeer above in gold, and a silver one somewhere too.  I love my new Frosty ornament though!

I may change my mind about the snowmen idea though...after all of my recent experiences with snow.  I'll write about that in just a minute!

Tis the Season!  Have a Merry Christmas!

Still working...

Still working on the house... just when I think I'm making progress another room gets messed up.  I feel like nothing is getting done, but it really is.  Progress is slow, but at least it gives me something to do!
Cleaning out the apartment this weekend and checking out.  maybe I will take one last nap on the floor there.

Hard work...

Wow, what a weekend!  Mom came to town to help me unpack and clean, and we even ended up building things!  What a team we were... who woulda thunk the two of us would have done all of this ourselves in such a short time period.  We just about worked from the time we woke up until the time we went to bed.  Although we did manage to get some great Italian food! :)
Here's what we accomplished... hopefully I won't miss anything!
Mom unpacked boxes upon boxes.  Installed wireless door bells at the front and back doors.  Washed windows.  Cleaned, dirtied, cleaned, then dirtied the house yet again. Caulked a few widows. Installed privacy film on the front door and stairwell window. Put cold weather film on a bunch of windows.  Installed the dryer vent cover.  Built a kitchen island. Trimmed down the bathroom door so it could close better.  Removed the bathroom shower door.  Installed a new curved shower curtain rod.  Installed a new shower head. Put curtains up in the kitchen and living room. Tried to put cabinet and drawer liner in... again and again and again. Put an AC cover on the central air unit outside.  
Hmmmm... I think that's it?
Thanks mom for all of your help!  Love ya!

Home Ownership

So it's been a while since I've posted.  I guess it was fun for a while then it sort of wore off.  So, I'm here to start up again.
I closed on the house on Friday and quickly moved on Saturday with the help of 4 very great friends who worked their tails off!  I couldn't have done it without them.  I went quite smooth actually.  I still have some things to move from the apartment, and clean that yet, but that will get done later this week and weekend.  Of course, there is still a lot of unpacking to do here!  In due time I guess.  There's so much to do - I'm not one that likes to wait for any of that, so it's kind of driving me nuts.  I guess I will learn some patience.  
My first priority was... setting up the living room and getting the tv/internet going.  I'm canceling my cable and cable internet.  I bought a digital tv antenna and that works great.  You can watch most shows on the internet anyway, so why should I pay for cable?  I then went to Sprint and got their 4G wifi hotspot.  Works great, and it seems faster than the cable I had!
I slept on my air mattress the first night (or tried to anyway).  The cats were going crazy exploring and all that.  And it was freezing.  Because I put priority on tv I didn't know where the extra blanket was.  I wasn't about to get up and see what awaited me downstairs in the dark.  (I'm a bit of a scaredy cat - who knows what the cats were getting into).  
After my sleepless night, I decided bedding was a priority and set up the bedroom on Sunday.  I slept much better last night - in fact I don't think I moved, I had the heavy blankets and one cat on each side of me.  I think they're a bit timid yet in this house as well.
Today after work I made what will be one of many trips to Home Depot.  Priority today was weather proofing materials:  window insulator film, water heater insulation cover, outlet insulation, air conditioner cover, caulk, foam, and what else...hmm...
Oh, so my first home improvement project:  replacing the standard lightbulb in the back porch fixture to a compact fluorescent that will go on at dusk and off at dawn.  A bit of a safety thing for me I guess.  Success!
Second project on the list tonight - install the dryer vent cover.  Failure.  Wrong size pipe.  Back to Home Depot later.
Third project attempt - wrap the water heater with insulation.  Failure.  Some pipes are in the way so I need some additional advice, and just didn't feel like putting in that effort tonight.
Fourth project - pushing some steel wool into some cracks to help keep the mice out.  Success (at least getting it in there, we'll see about the mice later)  I will have to do some more in daylight with some caulk and foam to complete this task.
Speaking of mice... I'm really afraid that at some point I will come across one.  After the above projects, I headed back down to the basement to search for evidence of mice.  None found, but let's be honest, I didn't look that closely for fear I would find something, and knowing they're there may just be worse for me than letting them be in peace as long as they stay away.  So, I turned on the dryer, just incase they were in there.  Nothing so far.  We shall see.  Wishing me luck on that front!


Will keep you posted on progress on unpacking, setting up, decorating, and all those adventures!

House

So it's been a while... quite a while.  I just haven't been up to blogging for some reason.  Anyway, the summer went by quite quickly.  Fall is quickly approaching, and the crisp air put me in the mood for two of my favorite fall comfort foods:  chili, and sour kraut casserole.  Yummy!  So, I've made them both today.  Now, what will I eat first?  hmm...


Anyway, I've been house hunting.  I know, I really wasn't expecting to, or even planning on buying a house, but when you see rates at 4.25% and the housing market depressed, price-wise, not emotionally :) I started to think it may be a good idea.  Especially because I could essentially buy a home for what I am paying in rent, or in my case, less.  


I've looked at dozens and dozens of houses, and I think sniffing so many basements filled with musty air, mold, and whatever else has put my allegies into hyperdrive, and I've since been battling a sinus infection that just won't go away.... it's exhausting.


So, I went looking last weekend, and added a new listing to my see list last minute.  It ends up it's what I've decided to go with.  I put an offer in earlier this week, and followed by accepting their counter offer!  (they countered with what I was expecting, and fully prepared to pay) They are paying all of my closing costs, and a home warranty too.  The city of St Paul is contributing 2% down payment assistance through a first time homebuyer program (it's been more than 3 years since I owned my house in Texas, so I'm a born-again first timer!)  


The inspection was next.  They wanted it very quickly in case I backed out they could still put it on the market this weekend.  I did inspection the very next day.  Nothing very out of the norm, for a house that was built in 1914.  Mechanically and structurally very sound.  Just a few minor things to take care of - I asked them to do, and they agreed.


So, after all that, we were scheduled to close Oct 15.  But, I asked if I could close Oct 8 instead, because Thomas is supposed to be here that weekend, so that would be great.  So, we're shooting for Oct 8.  Oh boy, that's less than 3 weeks away now.  didn't I just move last year at this time too?  Well, at least this one will be ours and can do whatever we want!  


Here she is... 

More to come later.  I've got the "oh my, I have to get so much stuff now" syndrome.  The list is already long:  new toilet seat, cleaning supplies, shovels, rakes (a big beautiful oak tree in the back) hoses, lawn mower, snow blower, a kitchen island, plus some work to do on the house like an exhaust fan in the bathroom, additional electrical outlets in the bedrooms, and.... 

Not to mention furniture... until Thomas moves in in June, I have furniture for the bedroom, and living room.  Oh well, that will come in due time.  More updates later!

Goal update

My mood has been up and down lately.  And now I feel like a cold is coming on.  I just took a great hot bath, hopefully I can sleep well tonight!


Anyway, it's time for a goal update.  It's my 6 month mark since I started my debt reduction plan.  Drum roll please... after 6 months I've managed to pay my debt down by 11.1%!  That is so close to my 15% yearly goal, that I should be able to reach my stretch goal of 25% within 12 months.  Woo hoo!  It can be done.


I'm happy, but a bit disappointed too because I could have exceeded 15.6% but I ended up having to use one of the cards I paid down because I lost track of my disposable spending money.  I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself for that though, I just need to continue to focus and pay closer attention in the coming months.  


How are you doing with your goals?

Basil Basil everywhere!

So... a few weeks ago I was at my sister's house and she made an omelette with fresh basil.  Yummy!  So, I bought a basil plant.  I've never really used basil, at least fresh basil so I had no idea what I would do with it... but, it does smell good!
On Sunday I made cheese tortilini with grilled chicken, sauteed with fresh basil and other veggies from the farmers market.  I mixed that with roasted red pepper and sun dried tomatoes.  I was so great, and healthy fresh too!  
Tonight... after working out I wanted something lighter.  I had a can of albacore tuna on multigrain toast (with extra fiber), avocado slices, and you guessed it... basil leaves!  It was surprisingly delicious.


What to create next?  Basil in my oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow?  Nah. 

Optimist's Creed

So I've been struggling lately with trying to stay positive.  I think I may have been trying to do too much, and have let things get to me.  I recently watched "The Secret" which is based on the book, and deals with your attitude, outlook, and such.  I have much to learn, but I'm starting - I even have an app on my iPhone that includes a new message every day or a new technique to help harness your positivity.  Here is a creed to live by and try to recite daily... I will start and let you know how it goes:


I promise myself:

To be so strong, nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.

To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work for the best

and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of 

others as I am about my own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the 

greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile

to every living creature I meet.

To give so much time to improving myself that I

have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,

and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world,

not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side,

so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

Jolly

Tonight was night two of volunteering at the shelter.  A few of the same families were there, but there was one new family, and two of the families from the other night were moved into the more "permanent" shelter - which is good because it will give them better access to counseling, career help, financial planning, etc.


Tonight was another busy night - no duck duck goose, but I did play chase for quite some time.   I got some decent exercise! Those kids sure have a lot of energy.  We also played "kitchen" with the play-doh, where we made "pizzas" and "waffles" and all sorts of other good stuff.  The little boy from the other night wanted me to make him a robot - so I did!


I also learned how to play real dominoes - apparently I have been doing it wrong, or playing a different version my entire life.


So, tonight I volunteered with my friend Mollie and her friend Holly.  Well, the kids decided that Brad just didn't work well with that, so they affectionately dubbed me "jolly."  It was all in fun - and I made the most of it and had a good time with it all night.


A few of the girls colored again - and at the end of the night gave me the following pictures:

The one above says "I name Jolli."  Very touching - both girls were great singers - singing songs by Hannah Montana and Justin Bieber tonight.  It was cute.


I've gotten so much from this experience and have learned a lot about life, love, faith, hope, and fear.  Other things too I'm sure I'll come to understand over time.


I will probably do this again - and recommend if you have the chance, you try it too!

Project Home

Tonight I did something very difficult but very rewarding at the same time.  I volunteered for Project Home, which is an overflow homeless shelter for families sponsored by the Saint Paul Area Council of Churches.  
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into it.  The only thought I had was from a recent movie we watched at movie night called "Where God Left His Shoes".  An amazing movie about a family who becomes homeless and the difficulties they face living daily life - somehow they work through it as a family, and are stronger for it.  I highly recommend it - with a box of kleenex next to you.  Let me know what you think if you see it.


Anyway, I arrived early and one of the coordinators for Project Home met me at the location - we had a chance to talk a bit, then when the others arrived we went inside and began setting up cots and air mattresses for each family.  We were expecting 3 families (4 adults and 10 children) and then another family was added (1 adult 1 child), so we ended with 5 adults and 11 children!  


We prepared some snacks for when they arrived and went over some rules for the evening - the coordinators leave the volunteers and "residents" there.  The families started to arrive and seemed to know the routine.  They each got some snacks and began to eat.  We had some games on one of the tables and one of the little girls walked up and started poking at the play-doh in a ziploc bag.  She asked me what it was and then if we could play.  I said I'd love to play, but thought she should finish up her snack first!


After what seemed like a few akward moments, people started to move around and interact with the 3 volunteers.  I started working with a few of the girls picking out crayons to color with, and found just the right picture for them!  One of the little boys who was probably 3 was very lively and full of energy.  He grabbed my thumb and just wanted to walk around the hallways - he sure did love to talk!.  Although I really didn't understand much of what he said, it was important for both of us to share that time together.  I hope he got as much out of it as I did.


The night went on, and we played tic tac toe, made lots of things out of the play-doh, played "Sorry!", and even "duck duck goose."  I haven't been on the floor running around like that in quite some time!  It was good for me to feel like a kid again.


But then I remembered I'm an adult, and as I look into the eyes of each of these kids - it set in.  As innocent as they are, as much promise as they have for their future, they have no place to call home.  They are shuttled from place to place to place.  I can't help but think what more could we do?  What would these families do if they didn't have a place like Project Home to help?  Would they be subject to foster care and taken from their families - or be placed in regular shelters that could be much more dangerous and not a place for children.


I will be returning to volunteer on Thursday night once again and will probably see some of the same families.  The kids will again be full of life, full of energy, and just looking for some sense of normalcy in a world that is anything but.


As I get ready for bed tonight, I am grateful for what I have and am very humbled. I will no doubt see each of their faces as I close my eyes - haunted by their reality, but hopeful for their future.

My lamp

Back in November when I was getting ready to move one of the cats knocked over my glass bedside lamp, and I have been searching for a replacement since.  Yesterday my friend Joanna and I went to a few vintage resale stores and ta-da, I found my lamp.  

It was kind of weird looking though - it had these leafy metal things on them.  I asked the worker if they came off and she said I don't know.  Well, then her husband came over and starting looking and sure enough, they came off!














Here it is in the store - they were like, "wow, that looks so much better, we could have sold that a long time ago"... so, I took my new vintage 1950's lamp with the ugly leaf things home.

Here it is in my bedroom!  What do you think?

It's been a while... goal update

It's been a while... I guess I haven't been in the mood to blog, but I have enjoyed reading your updates and commenting.


Today marks the 3 month mark for my credit card debt reduction plan.  My 12 month goal is to reduce my cc debt by 15%.  I'm pleased to say that after 3 months, I have lowered my cc debt by 5.2%!  That puts me on pace to reach 20.8% for the year.  That would be great... but, more good news...
I'm getting my pay reduction back starting next week!  That's great news.  The really great news is that I've gotten used to the lower salary over the past year, and have made a lot of changes to lower my expenses (lower cell phone plan, lowered cable plan, got a different car with a lower payment) So.. those things combined, I should now be able to contribute even more to my plan!  I'm thinking 25-30% or more may be more realistic.


Hmm... that's a good feeling.  I better not get too far ahead of myself though.


How are you coming along with your goals?

A Few of My Favorite Things

I wanted to share a few of my favorite things.  I have a chip craving...more of a problem I guess.  Tortillas, corn chips, chips, Cheetos, etc...you name it I love it.  In my quest for improving my choices, I've found a fair replacement for those chips...and it's much more healthy!  Yes, that's right, I'm saying these chips are healthy.  (Ok, healthier anyway).

Trader Joe's Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips!  Here's how they're healthier - each serving (7 large chips) has 6 grams of protein, 500 mg of Omega 3's, and 4 grams of fiber.  Also, they have only 50 mg of sodium per serving. 

I'll admit, it took just a bit to adjust to not having the high salt, high fat, greasy taste of those other chips.  But now that I've had them, I'm in love with them. (ok, maybe that's a bit much).  But they are really great!

I love pairing these chips with Trader Joe's Organic Tomatillo and Roasted Yellow Chili Salsa.  This salsa has such great flavor - it's not spicy at all.  The consistency is a bit thin compared to the chunky salsa's I usually like but the flavor more than makes up for it.

It's become quite fun for me to try to find healthier alternatives to my favorite foods.  I still get the overall effect of the normal food, but I pay less of a price later.  Now, I just need to find a good substitute for pizza.  I have made pizza's before on pita bread, and used ricotta cheese, some low fat mozarella, and some turkey pepperoni - oh and some chunks of canned diced tomatoes!  Yummy!  But, I don't always have those items around, and it would be much easier to have one pre-made and frozen for me already.  Hmm....  maybe that's a project my dad and I can do next time I'm home!

A Monday Mile...

What a nice and relaxing weekend.  Lots of food, family, sleep, some exercise too.  Unfortunately it seemed every bit of food I love was available (except for pizza, tacos, lasagna, and... LOL, so maybe not everything).  I ate and ate and ate.  I even picked out all of the mini Twix candy bars from the bag of candy!


All in all though, I think I still did pretty good.  I got some walging (walking/jogging) in with Amber on Saturday and we both did our ab workout.  Then we walked the dogs for a short time that night through the park.  Heidi and I then took a few of the other dogs out on Sunday for about 45 minutes.  Those both qualified for enough exercise for my workout plan.


I did eat a lot of sodium this weekend, so I felt really bloated.  I was determined to change that.  I drank a ton of water at work today.  So much that I was running to the bathroom quite a bit.  One time... my zipper even broke!  Thankfully that was at the end of the day!


I didn't deviate from my eating plan today, I had no chocolate, no chips, no snacks other than my apple and orange that I had planned.  Woo hoo, it's been a while since I've done that!


At the gym, I was determined to make the most of my cardio today.  The plan was for 15 minutes cardio...I wanted to push myself.  I warmed up for 5 minutes and then jogged what I thought would be a 5 minute interval.  Then I thought heck, let's try for 6.  6 turned to 7 minutes, and soon I was at 10.  I figured I would just go for it and finish off 1 mile in 12 minutes.  I know, for those of you that run a lot 12 minutes may seem lazy but for me being just short of 250 pounds (down from a high of 312 in October 2005) and not used to running at all, I was proud of my accomplishment today... my first non-stop mile of this short spring season.  Time to build on that and work my way up to 2 miles then 3.


Every success starts with a small gain... What were you successful at today?

Vestry

Today I was elected to serve on the Vestry for Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in charge of Hospitality and Fund Raising.  First, what an honor.  I was very humbled by this nomination, but also excited to explore another angle to my re-emerging faith.  I do have to admit I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at all of the tasks and responsibilities that lie in front of me, but I'm sure that will go away as I get started.  This is a 2 year position.  I will be in charge of overseeing various committees and events, as well as being accountable for a portion of the church finances and budget.  I even have to write an annual report.  I am excited, looking forward to getting started and hopefully bringing some new ideas to the table.  I will keep you posted as I go!

Fitness Update

One of my recent goals was to lose 7 pounds over a 3 week period... and not step on that scale at all during those 3 weeks.  Well.... drum roll....  I did it!  7 pounds exactly!  Woo hoo! That's a good feeling to reach a goal and know I'm on track.  Before I would always have one goal...that was my end goal, and it always seemed so difficult and so far off, it became discouraging.  I think I like the short term goals better! :)


My next goal will be to lose 15 pounds over the next 6 weeks (by April 29).  I think I can do it! I have another tough workout plan from Thomas that I will start next week.  It's important to change your routine every so often so it keeps your body from slipping into a routine and seeing decreased results.  Thanks to Thomas for encouraging me and supplying the knowledge and routines!


With that said, I'm so excited the spring weather has arrived.  It was in the 60's a few times this week and it's great to get outside!  Although it's only in the 40's today, I plan on getting out into that sunshine and walg (walk/jog intervals) along the river.  It should be fun, the river is high and moving very fast.  It will be fun to look at.


Anyway, wishing me luck as I start the next 6 weeks!  Just think, if I achieve this 6 week goal, I'm only about 10 pounds away from what I feel is a real good healthy weight for me.


Here's to a good week!

Many thoughts...

I have decided I am no longer going to be a slave to the scale.  For so long I have weighed myself every morning..sometimes before and after my shower.  When I get home from work, and when I go to bed.  That's just not healthy...in more ways than one.


Thanks to some clear goal setting support from Thomas, and a solid plan for working out (written in my new planner!), I haven't weighed in since Monday morning when I did to document my starting weight.  I know that's only 4 days, but for me it seems like an eternity!


My goals for the next 3 weeks are as follows (started this past Monday):  
1.  No stepping on the scale until March Monday March 15
2.  Lose 7 pounds 
3.  Stick with my written work-out plan, as closely as possible.  It is quite difficult so far!
4.  No fried food.


Outside of those health related goals, I also have the following goals this past week:
1.  Select one bible verse each week.  This week I have selected:  Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  I thought that was appropriate given some of the struggles with organized religion I've had over the past 12 years or so.  Glad I've found my way back!
2.  I need to finish the book "Breaking Dawn" - the 4th book in the Twilight Saga.  I've been reading this - or should I say it's been sitting on my nightstand for months.  Time to finish it!  Only 250 more pages or so to go!  I also have a reading list that is stacking up pretty quickly. I've never been a big reader, but I'm working on it.  Here are the books I've got waiting in my queue:
Wuthering Heights
Three Cups of Tea
Stones into Schools


Anyway, I've combined so many things into this one update.  Sorry about that...I haven't had time to post all week, so I crunched a lot into this one.  I have more to say, but I will have to give that another post very soon.  Have a good weekend!

A near miss...

I had a near miss today.  I had a really rough day at work..very stressful, was barely at my desk, I didn't have a minute to even eat my apple and orange I brought for my mid morning and mid afternoon snacks.  I ended up leaving work about 7pm after putting in 12 hours.  I was exhausted.
So what did I do... my thoughts immediately turned to my good friend Ronald McDonald.  I made every justification possible to get myself there... it was late, I was tired and didn't want to  worry about what I had to eat when I got home, I worked out yesterday, it was just one trip to McD, it wasn't the end of the world.
On my drive home my thoughts turned from trying to justify going to asking myself why the heck would I let that happen?  I was clearly turning to emotional comfort eating when I knew deep down I shouldn't do it, and didn't want to do it.  
My thoughts turned from justification to repulsion.  I thought about how groggy I would feel after I ate it (let's be honest, 1 cheeseburger just doesn't cut it for me), I thought about how that one meal would undo all of the good eating and working out I did over the past week.  
I had a breakthrough!  I decided not to eat it!  I mean, I've had these cravings and blogged about it once before, but this one was different.  I clearly realized I was turning to emotional eating.  Would I feel any better about my bad day after I had this meal?  NO.  In fact, I would feel much worse. What a good feeling to realize this and overcome it!


I just reinforced my decision.  McDonald's has a "bag a meal" feature on their website - click here  My typical meal in this situation would have consisted of the following:
2,040 calories (950 from fat)
106 grams fat (36 grams saturated, 4.5 grams trans fat)
270 mg cholesterol
3,750 mg sodium


Wow... those are crazy amounts!  No wonder America is so unhealthy!  Thank you McDonald's for offering this valuable tool to the public (probably from a government mandate, not by volunteering).  Maybe more people can start using it!


What gets me again is that McDonald's says they offer only the best ingredients.  If you've seen Food, Inc. you may think differently (I highly recommend you watch this)  Thanks Heidi for recommending this to me!


Ok, I've rambled on enough already...it was only one small decision I made.  Best wishes on the choices you make every day, I know it's not easy!  (And as much as I've ranted about McDonald's on this blog I'll probably have it again at some point.)

3 Cups of Tea

So I've been attending St. Mary's Episcopal Church for about a year now.  I have never felt a group of strangers could have such a profound impact on my life.  One year later, I now consider this group of strangers my friends, my extended family.


This community has been so welcoming, and so comforting during my transition from Texas to Minnesota.  It offers me a home, a place to become involved, to share my talents, and learn from others, to help those who need help, and to make a difference, making the world a better place.


One of the groups I'm involved in is "Global Outreach."  This group focuses on needs of the larger global community and how we can make an impact and help make a difference, from right here in St. Paul, MN.  We meet monthly at a different ethnic restaurant.  Last month was a Tibetan/Nepali restaurant (yes, I ate yak and goat and lamb) and this month we will be eating at an Ethiopian restaurant - I've been forewarned that they do not provide eating utensils, but instead provide flat bread for assistance.  I will let you know how that goes.


So anyway, as a group we are working with our church community to read the book "3 Cups of Tea" which is about one man's story to make a difference in the world by building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  He does not do it however by coming in with a bunch of money and dictate to the locals what to do, how to do it, and what to teach.  Instead, he befriends the locals by using the custom of having 3 cups of tea.  The first cup of tea you have with someone, you are strangers.  The second cup you are friends, and the third cup you are family.  This has helped him understand their culture, customs, and what they really need.  


To bring this idea of listening and understanding right to our daily lives, we are working on the principles of 3 cups of tea...we are encouraged to have tea and go through this process with someone we don't know, or who are different from us.  The goal is to gain a better understanding of each other, and a respect for any differences we may have.  


This is exciting to me. You all know that I have differing opinions and differing ways of looking at things.  I look forward to exploring ideas with someone else, and helping me to learn more about myself, and others through this process.  There is one gentleman at church I have talked to several times, but would really like to get to know better.  He has lived a full life, and there is much I can learn from him.  He's 87 years old (I never would have known that), he's healthy, smart as they come and a downright good person.  I'm going to ask him to have tea.  There are many lessons I can learn from him, and hopefully I can provide him some insight as well.


If you'd like to listen to the sermon from today kicking off the program, you can listen by clicking here. 
Click on the sermon titled 3 cups of tea.  Feel free to listen to any others as well.


Think of the difference we could make, if everyone made an effort to better understand others.  Beyond any differences we may have, there is common ground, and things we can agree on to help build a better tomorrow.


I ask you, who are you going to have tea with?

Winter blues...

I have the winter blues.  I'm tired of wearing bulky sweaters and jackets. I'm tired of getting my shoes and pants wet by snow, slush, salt, and a bunch of other nasty stuff.  I'm tired of it being dark when I leave work and when I wake up.  I want to bust outside and smell the fresh spring air, wear flips and shorts, and get out and exercise!  I want to soak up some rays of sun and increase my energy level!
I don't recall last winter being this difficult to get through.  I guess the end is within reach, I just need to try to stay positive and sane until then.


I think this is affecting my mood all around me.  I get upset about things at work, I snapped at one of my employees today when I'm normally very level-mooded (is that a word?) I got upset about a car with extremely loud music today at the gas station... I was mad, until I saw that there was a toddler in the back car seat.  That child doesn't need to hear things that loud!


Argh.... ok, time to get focused on my positive thoughts for the rest of the night.  Tomorrow is a new day, hopefully a happier one.  :)

A Baby Step

So, I've been trying for a long time to eat better.  Well, more-so lose weight however I always fail.  I'm so focused on a number and if I don't see that number on the scale go down I get discouraged and then run to my favorite vice - McDonald's.  Oh how I love those golden arches, the BigMac combo meal - large sized with diet coke, a double cheeseburger, McChicken, and a side of tartar sauce for my fries. Oh yummy.  Wait, that is my problem! I keep going and going and going.  I watched that documentary "Supersize Me" once, but that didn't seem to last long after my initial disgust.


So, it is cold and snowy today.  I stayed late at work to let the traffic clear so I wouldn't be sitting pointlessly in traffic.  On my way home I started craving McDonald's.  I could taste it, and as I was driving it seemed that was all I could think about, nevermind the slippery roads and driving.


My car seemed to be on auto-pilot headed right to the closest McDonald's on my way home.  At the last minute, I crossed 3 lanes of traffic (very dangerous in the snow) and exited one exit before the one that has McD!  Apparently I had made a sub-conscious decision to skip McD and go home and eat the healthier groceries I spend good money on.


Yippee!  I have overcome my addiction to fast food! ...not so fast.  It is just one small success, but none the less it is a success and a place to start.  If I can build on that momentum and string a few of these breaks from "madness cravings" I can maybe, just maybe one day not crave all of that crap all the time!


Now, I must have an orange.  
What have you done today to make a difference?

Welcome

Welcome to my first ever blog post.  Bear with me while I learn how to manage this blog, do updates, and organize all of my thoughts.  My sisters seem to be quite good at it, so hopefully I can learn a few things.


"Project Metamorphosis"  I will at some point list some goals of what I hope to achieve over the next year or so.  I don't think of them as new years resolutions, because that term in itself implies failure, or at least gives the impression that "there is always next year" if you fail.  This is about making every day count.  I'm not expecting miracles, or to be some saint or something, but small things every day can make a huge difference.


I'm ready for this journey, are you?